


Masked Antagonist

by Terisutaen (orphan_account)



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Blood, Kidnapping, M/M, Male Antagonist, Male Protagonist, One Shot, Palace of Twilight, Wordcount: 1.000-3.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-04-05
Packaged: 2018-05-31 14:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6473638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Terisutaen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Link simply scowled at Zant's statement, his belief even, Link knew it was merely a dream of Zant's, nothing of a reality.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Masked Antagonist

_"Tell me... Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls? They say it's the only time when our world intersects with theirs... The only time we can feel the lingering regrets of spirits who have left our world. That is why loneliness always pervades the hour of twilight..."_

Link now understood Rusl's statement, his worry even. It was all due to Hyrule practically being engulfed by a corrupted parallel dimension known as the Twilight Realm. But of course, Rusl was never familiar with the other world, just like many other citizens of Hyrule. Even the Resistance group that occasionally spent most of their time at Telma's bar, they never even knew of this so-called world of shadows. Nobody did, apart from those gifted with the Triforce, of course. Link was merely a rancher who resided within Ordon Village, appearing to be at least sixteen years of age. He had a Triforce shaped birthmark on his hand, strongly implying that he possessed the Triforce of Courage, though possibly it could be there merely as a mark of a Chosen Hero. One time back at Ordon Village, Rusl, the town's only warrior and swordsmith, requested Link to be his substitute for a trip to Hyrule to deliver the Ordon Sword and Ordon Shield which the Royal Family had ordered. Although as Link was preparing to leave for the trip, a scoundrel known as King Bulblin and his army forced their way into the area of the Ordon Spring, knocking out Link and kidnapping his friends, Ilia and Colin, along with the other children of the village.

However, that was merely the story of what happened thus far. Upon retreating to the Lanayru Spring after collecting the final Fused Shadow from Lakebed Temple, a treasure in which Midna was forever hunting for. Both Link and Midna were confronted by Zant, the self-proclaimed King of Twilight, which was an unexpected encounter indeed. The Usurper King suddenly struck Midna with a vigorous attack, and thus seized the Fused Shadows from her grasp. Zant was a tall, slender being dressed in black, baggy clothing decorated with turquoise Twilight symbols on both sleeves. The sleeves of his robe were long, with eight tassels attached to each sleeve and hanging to the ground. He wore a metallic helmet designed to resemble a chameleon's head, his helmet was also modelled with a bamboo shoot. On the back of each layer of the helmet was a facial decoration. The mouth guard of the helmet was designed to resemble a chameleon's tongue. His mask concealed his entire face, his entire identity, and thus hiding his true appearance as a whole. The front of Zant's shoulder guards were decorated with serpents. Lastly, Zant's shoes resembled dragon heads. Zant kept his hands hidden most of the time, keeping them hidden under his sleeves. He only ever tends to reveal them when he has the desire to, where they can be seen vaguely under the darkness. They appear dark grey, discoloured from the normal Twilight colours of black and white. On another note, Zant's arms were abnormally long, extending below his knees, they were the same length as his sleeves even.

Not to mention, Zant was also a powerful sorcerer and a minion of Ganondorf. Although of course, Link never knew of Zant's god, at this moment in time anyway. Despite the fact that the emblem displayed on the front of Zant's garments resembled the Gerudo Symbol. Link would surely learn of Zant's story sooner or later, both Link and Midna in fact, although at this very moment it was merely their first encounter.

"Pathetic." Zant spat, although a smug smirk only seemed to coil along his dark rims behind the metallic mask that he wore. He was irritated; of course, he was frustrated by the whole situation, frustrated by the fact that Midna went against what he ordered back in the world of shadows. She was now classed as a mere traitor to him. "My Midna... Did you forget? That beast is one of the light dwellers who oppressed our people. No matter how much you may desire otherwise, you will never be more than a shadow in their world. You cannot consort with their kind!" However, upon perceiving the so-called chosen hero of the goddesses, Zant merely smirked with pure interest. The one scenario that played repeatedly within his ruthless mind at the mere sight of the blue-eyed beast, Zant merely found the hero to be rather enticing... to tease at least.

A strange voice, creepy movements, and eccentric attacks-everything about Zant was truly unnerving and odd. The self-proclaimed King of the Twilight Realm, his main goal was to unite both light and dark into one world for him to rule. Now, if only he could deal with that pesky Link fellow. Another wish he was intending to fulfil, of course. Even if this was merely their first meet, Zant already gathered Link was the chosen hero of the goddesses, the blue-eyed beast growling before him. He already knew this was the hero that was destined to revive the light world, to revive the land of Hyrule.

Without another moment to waste, a field of Twilight specks surrounded the beast's form, and within seconds Link vanished into thin air as Zant then followed. Leaving Midna forsaken within the Lanayru Spring, purely pink and panting on the ground, she was close to death due to Zant's ruthless attack. Zant never cared anyway; he could never care about what he thought was a traitor. His opinion on the former Twilight Princess, he thought of her as nothing more than a pathetic traitor. To him she was merely a defector, much less than a supposed princess of the Twilight Realm. Although enough of her, Zant had a plan hidden up his sleeve purely for the hero of light. With Link now under Zant's spell, Midna would not be able to seek his help, she would most likely remain suffering until the bitter end nears for her wellbeing. Of course, that would be the answer unless someone manages to lend a hand in her direction. Although that would be impossible for her case, as Zant stated just previously, Midna was merely a shadow in Link's world. As for now, Link was abducted by Zant's power.

With a shrill sound occurring within the darkened scope, almost resembling a scream in fact, Zant soon materialized before Link's form. The hero was held down by two Shadow Beasts that Zant had previously summoned, a deed that Zant found rather amusing in fact. Link was now a human under Zant's control, despite now being trapped within the Palace of Twilight. For one to enter the Twilight Realm the Mirror of Twilight must be activated and the mirror shards have yet to be discovered, which in a way meant Link could no longer return to the world of light unless Zant makes the decision to send him back. Unfortunately Zant had no intention of bringing Link back to the land of Hyrule, yet. As for Link's Master Sword, his weapon was merely tossed to one side of the narrow cell. There was no way Link could fight back at this moment, being restrained by two Shadow Beasts, and his sword even being out of reach. Although there was at least one secret that Link never knew of; Zant's main weakness was dungeon equipment.

Staring down at the blonde hero with his two bug-like eyes, staring at him behind the metallic mask that he wore, the eyes of his mask would stare into one's soul even. The metallic tongue which remained extended, it soon rose and revealed Zant's dark rims. He was smirking towards the young hero, a smug smirk resting along his lips. Link only managed to glare lazily up at the twisted brute, glaring towards that chameleon-like mask that possibly concealed a hideous face underneath. Link guessed Zant's true form was most likely repugnant, despite never seeing him without his mask before. Not only hideous, perhaps he was as startling as his mask appeared to be. Zant's facade gave Link that one impression, anyway. He never knew that behind Zant's mask, Zant's actual face had pale-blue skin with purplish lips and he even had the Twilight Emblem engraved on his forehead. Zant's eyes were a piercing colour of orange and he also had red hair, though most of it appeared to be obscured by a balaclava that he wore to cover most of his head and neck, leaving his face exposed, although concealed by a metallic mask. Just by how he was staring, and how uncomfortable Link felt by it, it was no wonder what he could possibly be thinking. Perish to thought what this so-called King of Twilight had in mind.

"It is not often that a boy decides to show up, wielding a title so honourable." Zant commented, still smirking with mere interest. "As courageous as you may wish to feel, you should know that your world will forever be tainted by the shadows of Twilight." The villain added, while his purplish lips widened into somewhat of a grin now. "Do you understand that, young adventurer?"

Link simply scowled at Zant's speech, his belief even, Link knew it was merely a dream of Zant's, nothing of a reality. Princess Zelda never wanted to have her land practically being engulfed by a world of shadows, a corrupted dimension, not to mention have her world shared with Zant's. No matter what Zant's opinion was, or what his wish may consist of, Link would continue to fight until Zant's dream truly comes to a halt. But, Zant believed in otherwise. Zant being only a minion of the great Ganondorf, both worlds destined to merge was merely an order from Zant's master. He ordered this twisted brute to fulfil his dirty desires for him, to make Zant useful for something at least. Link never knew of that, yet. Link never knew of this so-called Ganondorf, not yet anyway. As for this moment, the only known villain that was present was indeed Zant himself, the self-proclaimed King of Twilight.

"You will never win." Zant proceeded. "I don't really understand why you even bother planning to rescue a world that will only suffer again and again. There will always be a source of evil waiting to emerge, and one day that evil will have a chance to win."

Immediately seizing onto Link's collar, and carelessly digging his dark fingertips into Link's neck. Lifting the supposed hero from the ground in fact, although lightly. He was no longer bound by the two Shadow Beasts that were summoned previously; in fact they vanished within a split second under Zant's power. Listening to the sweet sounds of the hero choke in response, listening to that melody which only seemed to make Zant chuckle menacingly. Zant still stared into Link's blue-hued eyes, still grasping the life out of him in fact, or unless it felt that way at least. Zant was never finished with his statement, he simply tittered at the mere thought his vision gave him. The thought of the hero eventually failing, Zant loved that idea.

"The Twilight is simply divine, do you not agree?"

Despite the amount of pressure Zant gave Link, how firmly he was clenching about Link's throat, and how much he caused Link to choke. Link managed to shake his head somewhat in response at least, looking towards Zant with a weakened glare as he did so. The Twilight Realm, the Twilight itself, it was never beautiful. It was dull, gloomy, no light other than the many sol's that continued to shine like the sun in Hyrule. Of course, that was merely due to the fact that Link resided within the world of light, he was from the light world after all. Link would disagree with Zant, despite being a Hylian that held no judgement of others. Link would disagree with Zant purely because it was Zant's opinion, it was an opinion that the villain believed. If Midna were to ask that one question about the world of Twilight being a beautiful habitat, Link might have a different response. After all, Zant and Link's relationship was nothing more than mutual hatred. They both had different views on either world, the world of shadows or the world of light. The Twilight Realm practically being only Hyrule's shadow, seeing as it was a parallel dimension after all. Perhaps that was the reason as to why Zant, or Ganondorf even, had the desire to merge shadows with light. If one world was to share both, if both realms were to meet, then one leader could have the chance to rule the two worlds at once.

"What a _pity_ that would be for you, then." Zant stated. "It seems like you and the other light dwellers of your _pathetic_ land would have to deal with it. It's a change you cannot prevent, you cannot save. With you here, you can no longer have the chance to stop the Twilight from merging with the world of light. Do you understand that now?" He added, snapping this time. "Supposedly a chosen hero, are you? You cannot be a hero if you're trapped in another world, can you now?"

With that thought in mind, what if Zant had the desire to even _alter_ the chosen hero of the goddesses? What if he were to make him a minion of his own, to corrupt his purity, to even create a puppet out of him? Perhaps that would be a scene to follow, to take place within this diverse world of shadows. After all, Zant would most likely take pride in tormenting this Ordon fellow, to convert his clarity into a side more wicked perhaps. What if Zant corrupted his valiant demeanour? What if he converted Link into being a mere minion of his own? What if Link ended up being Zant's loyal follower in fact? Even if this was merely their first encounter, Link could already tell that Zant was a malicious and heartless man.

With all his vile power and thus strength, Zant immediately hurled the blonde hero towards one platform of the dimly lit extent. He flung the young hero towards a wall decorated with the turquoise Twilight symbolism; hurling him with enough force so that Link's head even managed to clout against the surface of the wall ahead. Upon perceiving a hopeless Link now, even noticing a patch of blood forming upon his third temple, Zant merely glared down at the teenage boy. As Link opened his eyelids once more, shaking his head some as he did so, he casted a glimpse directly towards the scoundrel ahead, viewing only a blurry shadow before him. Not only was he standing in front of him, Zant was towering over Link's crouched form even, as his dark shadow sheltered the Ordon boy entirely. Zant cornered Link, staring down at the supposed chosen hero with his creepy bug-like metallic eyes.

"A chosen hero that is incapable of defending himself?" Zant questioned spitefully, the mouth guard of his mask lowering yet again, concealing his purplish smirk with the chameleon's tongue that his mask seemed to possess. "Now, what does that inform the goddesses that chose your fate?"

Link started to wonder, to silently question himself, if whether or not Zant was ever intending to return him to the land of Hyrule once more. Despite he assumed otherwise, it was not like Link could ever ask Zant that question himself. Within the world of light, there was most likely a search party already wondering where Link might be hiding. Although sadly, Link had the thought in mind that Zant was possibly planning to keep him trapped within the Palace of Twilight, for now.


End file.
